30th District Court — Standard Docket Control Order (Bench Trial)

High confidence· verified September 6, 2026Case Management30th District Court Standard Docket Control Order — Bench Trial (wichitacountytx.com/download/30th-district-court-standard-docket-control-order-bench-trial; custody 2026-09-06).

Summary

The 30th District Court's standard docket control order for bench trials: a fixed deadline framework the parties may not modify, dispositive-motion practice, mediation and a pretrial conference.

Applies to

Applies to civil cases set on the bench-trial docket in the 30th District Court of Wichita County.

Source of truth

The 30th District Court's standard Docket Control Order sets the deadlines governing a case; these deadlines may not be modified by the parties and will not be modified by the Court without a valid and compelling reason set out in a written order, and the parties must also comply with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure and the Wichita County Local Rules. The order fixes dates for joinder, the plai

Official source: Wichita County Courts — wichitacountytx.com (court website)
Source health: Healthy · checked September 6, 2026
Effective date: —
Last verified: September 6, 2026benchpath-tx-ajr8-wichita-ownsite-2026-09-06

Reviewer note: Composed 2026-09-06 from the county-site document (read in full). Court-specific 30th case-management standing order; judge-joined to McKnight.

Pretrial Motions Not Heard by the Transferring Judge Are WAIVED — Trial Division 3

Judge Wolfe enforces AO S-2024-062(28)(A) with teeth: every pretrial motion in a case transferred to TD-3 must be scheduled and heard by the original transferring judge — failure to do so timely is deemed a waiver.

High confidence· verified August 3, 202613th Jud. Cir., Judge Wolfe Practices & Procedures (Trial Division 3), citing AO S-2024-062(28)(A)

Case ManagementHillsborough County · Circuit Criminal Division I · Judge Elizabeth G. Rice

Motions (Except Limine) Waived If Not Heard Before the PTC — Criminal I

Judge Rice mirrors the F-division waiver with an exception: all motions other than motions in limine must be filed AND heard before the Pretrial Conference or they are waived; limine motions must at least be filed by then.

High confidence

· verified August 4, 2026

13th Jud. Cir., Judge Rice Judicial Practices & Procedures (Crim. I)

Case ManagementHillsborough County · Civil Traffic M / Non-Crim Non-Traffic T / Family IV-D Y · Judge Mary Lou Cuellar-Stilo

Traffic Is In Person; Motions Idle 60 Days Are Presumed Denied — Civil Traffic M

Judge Cuellar-Stilo's Civil Traffic division takes no Zoom absent a court order, presumes motions pending 60+ days without a hearing denied without prejudice, and treats unwarranted "emergency" labels as sanctionable — with counsel expected available nights and weekends for real ones.

High confidence· verified August 4, 202613th Jud. Cir., Judge Cuellar-Stilo Procedures (Traffic M / NCNT T / IV-D Y)

Case ManagementHillsborough County · Probate Division B & Risk Protection Orders N · Judge Caroline Tesche Arkin

Emergency Guardianship and Vulnerable-Adult Petitions Are In Person — Probate B / RPO N

Judge Tesche Arkin defaults to Zoom but pulls emergencies back into the courtroom: Emergency Temporary Guardianship and Vulnerable Adult petitions are heard in person with counsel and parties present; 1-hour-plus hearings are JA-set and in-person only.

High confidence· verified August 4, 202613th Jud. Cir., Judge Tesche Arkin Procedures & Preferences (Probate B / RPO N)

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